The California Collection/TheCaliforniaCollection.cdr/his101/gt09.arj/GT09.TXT

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                            CHAPTER 6

                           THE PROCESS



     And we know that all things work together for good to
     them that love God, to them who are the called according
     to His purpose.

     Thus far in our examination of Romans 8:28, we have noted the
meaning of the "we."  They are those walking in the Spirit and
relying on His intercessory ministry for the will of God.  Those
walking according to the Spirit "know" that all things will work
together for their good.  They "know" because they "see" with the
eyes of faith that such is true by the Spirit.  Additionally, they
know [see] that "all things" are used by God to accomplish His
will in their lives.  How do"all things," good and bad, up and
down, right and wrong, "work together" for our good becomes our
next consideration.

WORK TOGETHER

     The Greek rendering of "work together" is (a fellow labor -
co-laborer).  God chooses to use "all things" together, collectively, to
shape us in the image of His own Son.  Such is only true, however, for
those submitted to the leading of the Holy Spirit in their life.  What
happens if one is not submitted?  Then the Devil is liberated and will
use anything and everything in a person's life against them to
destabilize their relationship with God.   He, the Devil, may bring
sickness, disease, heart ache, death, depression, discouragement,
mental illness, financial failure, marital instability and divorce, and
anything else he desires into the Christian life.  Why?  Because the
Christian was walking outside of the protective will of God.  What
happens if that same Christian repents of his sin, making confession,
and begins a new?  Immediate spiritual reversal.  God even turns what
the Devil meant for evil into good.  He God, through the ministry of
the Holy Spirit, works together, utilizes as a co-laborer, those things
into the Christian life for our good.  The word "good" in our text
means exactly that - (good) - or one could say:  All things work
together for our benefit.  We need to keep in mind, however, that this
Spirit walk for the Believer is a process experienced by conviction and
not by chance.

PROCESS DEFINED

     The dictionary defines a process as:  (A series of actions,
motions, or operations leading to some definite result).  If we remain
faithful as we walk in the Spirit through prayer, the Holy Spirit will
take hold with us to bring everything into subjection to God's perfect
will for us.


ILLUSTRATION

     When I was still very young, we took a trip to Michigan and while
there, we visited the Ford Motor Plant in Detroit.  The most
captivating aspect of the plant was the assembly line.  We walked the
line with a guide who perfunctorily annunciated the various stages of
construction.  He said that cars were built by special order and each
car was design controlled as it lumbered slowly down the assembly line.
I watched as red, blue, green, black, gold, and brown engine hoods hung
like huge trapped moths in large metallic spider webs over the assembly
line.  As each car passed beneath, a hood swung over and down and was
quickly bolted into place.  The car rolled slowly down the line;
receiving each of its appropriate parts:  windows, doors, seats,
stirring wheels, dash boards, wheels and tires, trunk lids, head
lights, tail lights - everything needed to make it a car.

     As we stood at the end of the line listening to our guide finish
his description of how the line functioned, we saw the completed
automobiles roll off the assembly line.  A man stood waiting.  As one
approached and was freed from the line track, he jerked open the
driver's door and leaped in.  The engine fired immediately and he sped
away to a nearby parking lot.  As the guide continued to speak, the
driver came running back just as the next car rolled from the line.
Again he leaped in and drove away.
     "Occasionally," I heard the guide say, "a car will fail to start
and will need to be pushed to the side to await a mechanic's analysis."
Just then the driver returned to drive another finished car away.  The
engine failed.  He sprang from the car and with the help of an
assistant, they pushed it from the path of another car which was
rolling from the line.

     Leaving the semi darkness of the building, we walked into the
bright sunshine and stood curbside.
     "If any of you like," the guide announced, "we offer free test
drives to give you an idea of how each car is road tested before
leaving the plant."

My family and I climbed in a shiny new Ford, the doors slamming solidly
behind us.  The small test road was inculcated with tight turns, wash
board surfaces, steep hills, and winding avenues.  The driver spun the
wheel expertly, taking the turns quickly and excellerating part way
through the turns.  Gears shifted at the precise moment, breaks were
often applied, then quick excelloration again when needed.

     Climbing from the test car, we walked into the show room and saw
"the car of the future."  "This is what we have to look forward to,"
the guide said, pointing to the glistening vehicle; a tone of
profundity in his voice.  It was peculiar but somehow beautiful and
powerful by nature.



     As I studied Romans 8:28 to attempt to understand it's true
meaning and application to the Believer, I recalled our visit to the
Ford Plant and realized that the life we live as Christians, especially
those dedicated to walking in the Spirit, is much like the process I
saw on the assembly line.  We are "made to order" by God.  That is,
"His will" is our design.  As we rely upon the ministry of the
Holy Spirit through prayer, God brings "all things" in to play for our
benefit.  If we pray in partnership with the Holy Spirit, He, God,
searches the hearts and knows what is the mind of the Spirit.  He, the
Holy Spirit, in turn makes known to the Heavenly Father our prayers and
designs them to conform to the will of God.  No matter what we face,
whether it is of God or Satan, God will, to those led of the Spirit,
work all things together for the good of His own children.  He will
wisely and cautiously manage our affairs for His glory through the
ministry of His Holy Spirit.

     Perhaps this explains why often we are unable to function properly
when facing various difficulties in our relationship with our Heavenly
Father.  God chooses to give us a certain size of spiritual motor, I.E.
gift, with which we can function properly in His body - The Church.
We, on the other hand, desire something bigger, something greater,
something more powerful.

     "I know!  I'll be an apostle.  I'll be a prophet.  I'll be an
evangelist.  They're great and have a lot of power and authority.
That's what God wants me to be."

Later, perhaps through great hardship and discouragement, we may
discover that was not God's design or plan.  We no doubt questioned God
all along the way as to why He allowed all these terrible things to
occur.

     "Where was He?  Why didn't He answer when I prayed?  Why did He
cause it to happen to me?  Why am I made to suffer?  Why did He cause
me to sin?  Why isn't God's Word working for me?  Why is God trying to
hurt me?"

All such questions plague those attempting to explain God's will by
unfavorable, difficult, or impossible  circumstances.  We roll to the
end of God's assembly line, only to discover that perhaps some parts
are missing.  There is no spiritual ignition and we often have to be
moved to the side for Holy Spirit analysis.

     Even those who stay in place on the assembly line will find they
will be test driven.  There will be hills to climb, valleys to plunge
through, and sharp curves to negotiate.  There will be mud and dirt and
water and cold and heat.  Gears will change, speed will vary, and even
breaks applied.  Eventually the drive will be over and then there will
be the Christian of the future - The Church without spot or wrinkle.
Then Jesus will come for His own and will say,  "Well done my good and
faithful servant."

BLUE PRINT

     Over the years,  through preaching and teaching, the idea has been
somehow conceived that all Christians should be alike, equal,
identical, or the same.  The uniqueness of God's creation, in my
opinion,  is its dissimilarities.  We are all created differently, as
are the stars and snow flakes.  Somehow, and for some reason, we loose
awareness of this when considering the Church - the Body of Christ.

     Now therefore you are no more strangers and foreigners, but
     fellow citizens with the Saints, and of the household of God.
     and are built upon the foundation  of the apostles and
     prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner stone;
     in whom also the building fitly framed together grows unto a
     holy temple in the Lord:  In whom you also are builded
     together for a habitation of God through the Spirit (Eph.
     2:19-22).

     As I mentioned, their is a controlled design.  The control is "the
will of God" and the design [pattern] is the image of God's Son.  If we
are "fitly framed together" in this Body of Christ, we must be uniquely
designed with purpose.  Thus God must have a blue print in order that
we might become more like His Son.  The blue print is performed through
the implementation of Romans 8:28.  God uses all thing jointly to bring
us into sharp image which causes us to look like Jesus when we walk in
the Spirit.  The promise of Romans 8:28 is made reality through prayer
partnership with the Holy Spirit.

     Paul illustrated the importance on Body placement in I Corinthians
12:12-31.  In his example, he found it necessary to point out that we
should not concern ourselves with where we are placed in the Body but
be content with the placement itself.  If we are content, we will not
desire the possessions of others nor be concerned about our personal
placement - the foot compared to the hand, the ear to the eye. It is
God who sets each member in its exact place within the Body of Christ
(I Cor. 12:28).  If we attempt to struggle for relocation, outside of
God's will, others in the Body may be spiritual injured and perhaps
even dislocated.  Such disjointedness induces pain and discomfort.

     In light of such revelation, we need to pray in the Spirit to gain
a better understanding of our placement within the framework of that
Body.  Such knowledge is impossible without the intercessory ministry
of the Holy Spirit.  Although we may be unsure of our location in the
Body, or if we feel change is needed to better serve the Lord, the only
way such revelation is available is through the perfect intercessory
prayers of the Holy Spirit.



EXAMPLES

 In a course I had in Bible college, the professor gave a short quiz at
the end of each week.  The quiz grades were, of course, averaged with
our quarterly and semester examines for a final grade.  I remember
doing extremely poorly on one quiz.  I was heart sick.  I so much
wanted to achieve high marks in that particular course.  Now it would
never happen!

     Upon the conclusion of the first semester, the professor announced
that he deleted the single poorest quiz grade before averaging the
others with the examines.  The desired grade was thus achieved.  I
still had to take the course along with the quizzes but the worst was
discarded.  Do you see it?  The course was a "learning process."  The
quizzes were the proving, or testings, of what I learned day-by-day.
The quizzes were used as markers to indicate my progress.  They were
not offered to prove how stupid, how dumb, or how ignorant I was, but
rather offered direction, or placement, in the process of learning.
Now compare this to most Christians attempting to live out the
Christian life without the ministry and leading of the Holy Spirit in
prayer.

     They give up in discouragement and drop from the course because
they missed it somehow, they think, or perhaps someone told them they
did so.

     "You've gotten a poor grade.  You'll never make it now.  God's
best is no longer available for you."

     Let me take this example one step further.  What if indeed I would
have flunked the entire course?  Would that have indicated total
failure and an inability to achieve?  Should I have dropped out of
school all together?  Similarly, the course [process] is always
available for the Believer.  Simply stay enrolled by taking up your
partnership with the Holy Spirit in prayer.  There is no way you can
loose since God discards the bad as He forms us with His will through
the ministry of the Spirit.

WRONG TURNS

     One of my  cousins used to drive trucks across country and told
this story:   He and his partner were driving in a rain storm, barely
able to see, wipers slapping angrily at the wind shield and providing
little relief.   Not wishing to loose time, they drove slowly and
cautiously, the powerful headlights failing to penetrate the darkness.
He said he noticed all the construction equipment parked along the road
through the sheets of driving rain as they drove but never thought much
about it until  Suddenly the heavy eighteen wheeler catapulted from the
end of the highway, landing in thick mud.  Because of the heavy rain,
they had missed the detour sign  and drove right off the end of the
road.  He said it took them several minutes to stop the big truck, now
nearly out of control,  as they fought desperately to keep from jack
knifing.  A mile passed before they were able to stop completely.
Their problems just began, however, because there was no way to turn
around. They now had to spend several hours slowly backing the metal
monster back inch-by-inch to the highway.  Standing on the running
boards in the driving rain, they squinted into the darkness and called
out to each other through the open doors to insure they would not slip
from the treacherous road and be hopelessly stranded.  It was cold,
wet, and dark, and the only illumination was that of their own running
lights.  Finally, near total exhaustion and soaked to the bone, they
negotiated the truck on to the asphalt.  Jumping to the harden
surface, they  inspected the heavy machine for damage and although
there was none, the truck was covered with several inches of thick mud
from top-to-bottom; end-to-end.

     Most Christians experience similar situations in their
relationship with the Heavenly Father.  Somehow, no matter how
faithful, how consistent, how careful, we may occasionally miss the
road sign.  We may even see the evidence of our mistake along the way
but simply over look or ignore it.  Suddenly, we are off the road.

     "How did it happen?  Why did it happen?  Why didn't I see the
signs?"

All these accusations loom out of the spiritual darkness surrounding us
and we cry out in fear.

     Jesus warned Peter that he would experience defeat and denial in
Luke's Gospel.  He said, however, that He, Jesus, had prayed for him
that his faith would not fail.  Then He instructed his servant that
when he was converted he was to strengthen his brethren (Luke 22:32).
This word, "converted," means (to revert).  It comes from two words
meaning (to twist) and a little Greek word epi which might be best
translated (to "layer).  This can be compared to Luke 19:35 where we
are told that the people "cast" their garments upon a colt for Jesus to
ride.  In another words, they layered their garments upon the colt to
provide Jesus with a saddle.

     Now, in light of such revelation, consider what Jesus was trying
to tell Peter when he, Peter, missed the turn on his spiritual walk
with the Lord.  Jesus said Peter would be "converted," that is,
reverted, or twisted about in layers, or we could say, in degrees or
stages.  Once we have missed a turn as a Christian, we have the option
of reverting, to go back, to return, to change.  That return, however,
may take some time and will no doubt be arduous.  Certainly there is
instant forgiveness and instant cleansing for one who confesses his sin
before the Lord (I John 1:9).  We must, however, recognize personal
responsibility in our failure to remain on the "will of God" road. The
restoration process, although provided for instantly in forgiveness,
may take time and thus supernatural patience is needed as we retrace
our steps.  I believe the retracing [reverting] process is one of
spiritual maturing and one will find that once back to the main
highway, we will be farther up the road than anticipated.  We may often
experience heart ache, the sense of failure and defeat.  We may suffer
the freezing cold of rejection by others and the muddy residue of the
world.  The illumination of our retrek my seem poor and we may even
discover helplessness when others forget us.  Fortunately we have, as
my cousin, a Partner - the Holy Spirit - who is willing and ready to
"make intercession" for us if we will but submit ourselves to His
leading.  As we find ourselves being squeezed by circumstances and even
what others might consider failure, those walking in the Spirit will
look more like Jesus their Lord when they exit to the other side.

     Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your
     own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He
     shall direct your paths (Prov. 3:5-6).

     Notice that this wonderful promise is to those who are continually
acknowledging Him as they go.  He confirms, interestingly enough, that
he will direct our paths."  That's right!  He will, by His Holy Spirit,
direct us as we walk our paths.  It is, after all, our life - personal
responsibility - but for the Christian walking in the Holy Spirit
through prayer, our life belongs to Him.  He paid for it with the blood
of His Son Jesus, thus we no longer desire to live of ourselves.

     "Even if it means allowing God to work all things together for our
benefit?"

Yes!  Such demonstrates submission to the will of God to process us as
members of His Body.

BUILDING PERMIT

     Many people have added an addition to their home, built a new
garage, or constructed a storage shed in the backyard without obtaining
a city building permit.  When discovered, the city often fines one for
failure to purchase a building permit.  This even occurs spiritually.
We sometimes find ourselves attempting to build in areas for which we
haven't been licensed, or permitted, to build in.

     On the mount of transfiguration, Jesus was glorified before His
disciples.  His face, we are told, shown as the sun and His clothing
radiated as bright light.  Moses and Elijah also appeared and spoke
with our Lord on the mount (Matt. 17:1-9).  Peter became so excited
that he immediately wanted to build three tabernacles, dwellings of
worship, right on the spot in honor of the Lord and the two witnesses
with whom He spoke.  Peter, in effect, sought to build upon something
for which he had no permission.

     Speculation...  What if indeed Peter would have, although His Lord
instructed otherwise, built such houses of worship in honor of his
Lord?  Would God have blessed it?  God always honors His Word; but He
is never obligated to bless if, such is done, outside of His will.
"What does this mean for the Christian?"

     We must always be keenly aware that we do not always "know what we
should pray for as we ought." This means that, if we fail to harmonize
with the Holy Spirit when we seek the will of God, we may build without
a permit on ground not set aside by God for construction.  One might
suggest in such cases there would be no fruit.  There most certainly
will be fruit in evidence since God always honors His Word; but the
problem is, however, the fruit will not remain because it is not
"blessed."

     "What should be done?"

We should get back into fellowship with the Father through the ministry
of intercessory prayer provided by the Holy Spirit who always prays
that God's perfect will is accomplished in our lives.

     As mentioned, for those who build without a permit, there is
normally a fine.  The structure is not, I might point out, torn down
nor is the builder placed behind bars for life.

     "What is the fine for the Christian building without a permit?"

The loss of intimacy with God.

     "For how long?  Until one returns to the road or pays the fine?"

No!  The fine has already been paid by our Lord Christ upon the cross
nearly two thousand years ago.

     "But what about the Road?"

For one who harmonizes with the Holy Spirit as he prays, the road is
immediately restored.

     "Won't I experience, suffer, loss?"

Perhaps, but it is only what you feel because God sees no loss in one
who is conforming to the image of His Son through adverse
circumstances.  "Why?"  Because "we know - spiritually see by faith -
that all things work together for our benefit."





SUBMISSION

     There is another aspect of a building permit which we should
consider.  We often fail, when attempting to apply Romans 8:28
properly, to consider giving God license, or permission, to "work all
things together" for our good.  We quickly praise Him vociferously for
all the good and wonderful and exciting things.  We thank Him
repeatedly for the blessings, the prosperity, the miracles, and the
successes experienced.  The bad things, however, are quickly condemned
as devilish and even considered as funereal.  To do so would be
negating the power and promise of Romans 8:28 to "work all things
together for our good - well being.  God is telling us that He indeed
can and will use "all things" if we will submit - give permission - to
"work" [build] in our lives.  To refuse the bad would be rebellion.  It
would also be denying the power of God to indeed use all things -
everything - to bring us to conformity [identity] with His Son Jesus.
Keep in mind, however, that I am not suggesting God brings the bad, the
evil, the wicked, to His own.  James confirms that God does not do
such (Jam. 1:12-16).  I am simply pointing out how God promises to use
"all things" for our spiritual benefit and growth when we are side
tracked - off the road - and build upon - plant in - unfertile
[unprepared] ground.

FRIENDSHIP

     "And we know that all things work together for good to them
     that love God."

     The Greek word for "love" in our text is the common word with
which most Christians are familiar: (friend), or (brotherly) love.
For one walking in the Holy Spirit through harmonized prayer, God
becomes our friend as we face "all things."  Unfortunately, spiritual
immaturity and a basic lack of Biblical understanding, stunts spiritual
growth.  Often we become irritated, angry, even down right mad, at God
for permitting such heinous things to come against us.  We bind the
Devil, curse circumstances, trade upon scorpions and serpents, and
claim God's power while secretly wondering what happen to God in all of
this.  Such authority and power has been given to us and we indeed must
exercise such as we walk in the Spirit, but prayer is the illuminating
light which gives us the "know" - spiritual insight I.E., vision.
Spiritual frustration is generally the result of our inability to
"know," or see it, God's way.  If we will but submit to his will
through the Spirit, we will become intimate friends with the One who
has our best interest - His perfect will - at heart.

SUMMATION

     It is always easier to see circumstances rather than God.  It is
even more convenient to dump every unexplainable situation into the
bottomless pit [black hole] of Romans 8:28.
     "There you go!  That explains why God hasn't answered my prayers,
changed my impossible situation, performed a miracle, or remedy my
difficulty."

In a very real sense, such a philosophy relieves one from personal
responsibility; confusing and frustrating one's relationship with the
Heavenly Father instead of edifies - builds.  We, on the other hand,
must continue to walk by faith with the help of the Holy Spirit in
prayer.  We must consider all things; good and bad, right and wrong,
success and failure, up and down, back and forth, to be usable by God
for our benefit.  We must even allow such things to enrich, developed,
intimacy - friendship - with our Lord.  We must see with the eyes of
faith that God's will is working together for our own good that we
might be called the children of God.  Since in such adversities, we
often find it difficult, even impossible, to pray, we all must rely
upon the intercessory ministry of the Holy Spirit to cause God's
perfect will to be accomplished.  We must learn to pray in the Spirit.

GRACE

     Sermons are preached, lectures presented, and Volumes written,
on God's eternal grace; and yet it seems impossible to comprehend.
Some have defined it as "God's unmerited favor."  Others use the
letters of the word itself to form an acrostic:

     <G>od's
     <R>iches
     <A>t
     <C>hrist's
     <E>xpense.

I simply define God's grace as "undeserved blessing."  All of these
fall hopelessly short of showing us what God's grace is all about.  In
the light of Romans 8:28, however, perhaps we gain some glimpse of its
nature.

     God takes everything, whether good or bad, and somehow
incorporates it into the life of one walking in His Holy Spirit.  How
can this be?  The answer is, because He is God.  He is the only one
with the power to cause such to happen.  It is the nature of His person
which affords oneness with those submitted to His will.  This character
trait of His person, when revealed, is called "grace."

     Though I am not a poet nor very musically inclined, I wrote the
following during a very difficult time in my life.  As I sat at the
piano in our living room and began to play, I realized God's grace
shines its brightest during times of impossible circumstances.  I trust
the following words will provide illumination for those reading this
book as they attempt to see - know with spiritual insight, that all
things are  worked together by the wisdom of our Heavenly Father to
benefit us spiritually, and that such illuminates the friendship we
have with God the Creator of all things.
                                 GRACE

     Life provides no hiding place, every day must come.
     There's no way to stop the race, you must always run.
     Step by step is all you need to take,
     Turn and look into the Saviour's face.
     Never look behind,
     To your past be blind.

     Storm clouds gather, thunder rolls, see the lightning bright,
     In the darkest cloud above, find the rainbow light.
     Both were made for us to see His grace,
     Turn and look into the Saviour's face.
     Fear and guilt will fade,
     Sin's debt has been paid.